Emesis (vomiting) is a common symptom of a variety of disorders, brought on by events including the administration of chemotherapeutic agents, motion, pregnancy (morning sickness), and infections. Anti-emetic therapy generally involves removing the offending stimulus or resolving the condition responsible for the emesis. There are only a limited number of medicinal remedies currently available for emesis, and these often have undesired side effects, such as sedation or anxiety.
The use of (±)-8-Hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin [(±)-8-OH-DPAT] has been reported for the treatment of emesis (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,428). The administration of racemic 8-OH-DPAT, however, has been found to cause anxiety in test subjects. Racemic 8-OH-DPAT therefore has not been developed for the treatment or prevention of emesis.